The Prank part 2
by celtickat
Summary: Picks up immediately after The Prank, focusing on the breakdown of trust between Abby and Gibbs.  please read and review, all reviews good and bad are appreciated! rated M for future chapters
1. Chapter 1

THE PRANK PART 2

A/N – this story picks up immediately after The Prank finishes, it will make a bit more sense if you've read that but I think it can be read on it's own. It goes off in a direction I hadn't anticipated when starting out – let me know what you think as it goes on.

CHAPTER 1

Abby was the last to leave Autopsy, almost as if she couldn't bear to leave Palmer.

Ducky finally said "Abigail, Mr Palmer isn't going anywhere and I'm sure you have work to do"

She turned to leave and saw Gibbs was still standing in the doorway. "you can go back home now Abs" an amused look flickering over his face. Abby gave him a glare worthy of any Gibbs have ever given out "Abs?" he reached out to catch hold of her arm.

She twisted out of his grasp "don't touch me!" the venom in her voice made Gibbs step back. He watched her walk off, his amusement replaced by concern. He hadn't noticed Ducky was behind him until he spoke "I think you may have pushed her a little too far Jethro"

Gibbs walked off without replying, leaving Ducky standing shaking his head.

He decided that as much as he wanted to go to the lab, he had to give Abby some time to get to grips with the fact that Palmer was ok and that the torture of the last week was over. He went back to his desk, wondering what the rest of the teams' reaction would be.

DiNozzo, greeted him with a huge grin "Boss, that was just brilliant, awful to live through but, seriously, respect!"

Gibbs shook his head and sat down, "McGee, got anything to add?" McGee shook his head in the negative, he was extremely pissed at his boss and din't trust himself to speak just yet. Gibbs turned to Ziva "David, what about you?" "Cruel, I am not sure Abby will forgive you".

The next morning Gibbs went down to the lab with an extra large Caf Pow. Abby completely ignored him, didn't even acknowledge his presence. He tried to move closer to her, but every time he moved so did she maintaining the distance between them. He gave up and left, leaving the Caf Pow on her desk.

On his way home he went back to the lab, Abby was gone and the Caf Pow was exactly where he had left it, untouched.


	2. Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2

The next day Gibbs tried again and got an identical response. "ABS! yell at me, take a swing at me, but will just talk to me?"

Abby rounded on him "You don't get to call me that anymore"

Again Gibbs was taken aback by the strength of feeling in her voice and he backed off immediately "Abs..Abby, I…" he turned and left the lab quickly.

Abby watched him go, she was angrier than she could ever remember being, she wanted to be angry with him, she had trusted him and he had let her believe that she had killed Palmer, he had held her when she couldn't take the pressure anymore and had gone to him for him to make everything ok, but at the same time she felt bitter that he was giving up so easily.


	3. Chapter 3

CHAPTER 3

2 days later

Abby, for possibly the first time ever had nothing to do, not one active case had generated any new evidence. After enjoying the inactivity for a few hours, she got bored and called McGee.

"Have you guys got a case?"

"Nope, cold case files"

"Come down hang out for a while"

"uh, I need to check with the boss"

"5 mins Timmy, then I want you here"

McGee hung up and looked nervously at Gibbs "uh, boss? That was Abby, she, uh, wants us to, uh, go and hang out with her" He braced himself for the glare and was shocked when Gibbs replied with

"So go hang out, take Caf Pow"

Tony looked at him like he didn't know who he was "you serious boss?"

"Yes, all of you, go, just don't do anything stupid"

The three agents got up and made for the rear elevator, Tony lingered at Gibbs desk "that wasn't what I meant"

"I know"

In the lab, Tony took the bull by the horns.

"Abby, how long are you going to stay mad at the boss?"

"Till he does something that makes it impossible for me to be mad at him anymore"

"What do you expect him to do Abs?" Ziva was curious

"I don't _know_"

"Abs, you've got no chance, he did what he did to teach us a lesson, I know you're hurt but he's not going to suddenly start bending over backwards to make friends again" McGee tried to reason with her

Abby scowled at him "just you wait and see Timmy, he needs me more than I need him"

The three agents exchanged a look, any idiot could tell her heart wasn't in her words.

After McGee and Ziva had left to go home, Tony lingered, he seemed to be doing a lot of that lately, but he felt responsible for the rift between Gibbs and Abby and was determined to do something to put it right.

"Abby, what do you expect him to do? You know he'll never ask, gimme something I can take back to him"

Abby scowled again then looked sad "I don't know Tony, just something, but I'm not going to make it easy"


	4. Chapter 4

CHAPTER 4

Tony left the lab, hoping Gibbs would still be at his desk, he was in luck.

"boss, lets go for a drink"

"a drink?"

"uh huh, at the bar, I'm buying"

Gibbs was amused and confused, his senior agent had phrased his questions as statements, clearly not willing to be told no. He decided to play along "ok"

Later in the bar Tony braced himself for a major head slap. "boss, this thing with you and Abby, you need to fix it"

Gibbs took a sip of his bourbon "I do?"

Tony relaxed slightly when the expected head slap didn't come "yeah, you two fighting, it's just not right"

"that so?"

"I asked her what she expected you to do"

"and?"

"she just said 'something', I don't think she even knows what she wants but she did say she wouldn't make it easy"

Gibbs finished his drink "why am I not surprised?" he muttered to himself, to Tony he said "any suggestions?"

Tony shrugged and shook his head.


	5. Chapter 5

CHAPTER 5

Gibbs lay awake all night, trying to think of what 'something' to do. He hated being at odds with Abby.

He got up groggy and bad tempered but with a vague idea growing in his mind.

He made a couple of stops on the way into the office and when he finally walked in the door, he was feeling rather pleased with himself.

Later, he went back to the coffee shop and collected an extra large Caf Pow. Coming back he went directly down to the lab. He stood near the door, putting the Caf Pow down on the closest surface, he watched Abby work, not realising he was there.

He desperately wanted to go over, slip his hands round her waist and hug her, but he just as desperately didn't want to be pushed away again. He sighed and said "hey! brought you this" he held up the Caf Pow. Abby glanced at him then turned away. Gibbs took a deep breath "see the flowers arrived" he was referring to the huge bouquet of black roses he had had delivered earlier. When Abby didn't respond, he turned and left the lab.

Abby sensed that he had left, she let out a 'grrrr' of frustration and threw the vial she was holding across the room where it shattered. Why couldn't he just stay, talk to her, hug her?

A/N sorry these chapters are short – they will get longer in the next few days


	6. Chapter 6

CHAPTER 6

Every day for a week black roses were delivered to the lab, every day for a week Gibbs went down to the lab with Caf Pow, every day he stayed longer, but he didn't call her 'Abs' or try to touch her, he barely even spoke. Everyday Abby ignored him.

On the last day he had planned to send flowers, he delivered them himself.

Standing closer to Abby than he had been in weeks, he put the flowers down and signed 'forgiven me yet?'

He was surprised by the fury in her eyes 'not even close' she signed back, the sharp movements of her hands betraying her anger.

Growling in frustration, he turned on his heel and stormed out, not realising that he was doing the worst thing possible.

Abby watched him go, anger and hurt threatening to overwhelm her.

Gibbs sprinted up to the squad room and threw himself into his chair.

His team looked at him expectantly, when nothing was forthcoming Ziva asked "Gibbs? What is wrong?"

Gibbs glared at her, he was furious but he stopped himself, just, from venting this on his team.

He got up and left the office without a word.

A few hours later Tony's cell rang, he listened for a few seconds then hung up. Ziva immediately guessed "Gibbs?"

Tony nodded "he wants me to meet him at his caffeine dealer"

"Tony, what is going on?"

"I don't exactly know yet, Ziva"

The coffee shop was fairly quiet, so Tony had no difficulty in spotting his boss sitting in the corner.

"Still no joy with Abby?"

"nope"

"the flowers were a nice touch"

"hmmm"

They sat in silence for a few minutes.

"boss, what do you me for?"

Gibbs sat back in his chair "I want you to keep Abby away from her apartment until I call you, I don't care how you do it, just keep her away"

"you gonna tell me what you're planning?"

"nope"

"didn't think so"

Tony left his boss to finish his coffee and headed back to the office, thinking up a decent cover story.


	7. Chapter 7

CHAPTER 7

Abby walked up to her apartment angry, with herself, with Gibbs and with Tony, how could he use her as a time fill until his date finally called?

She forgot to be annoyed when she opened her apartment door to find the place lit by dozens of candles.

She forgot to breathe when Gibbs stepped out from the shadows.

They stood and looked at each other across the room. Abby looked away first, closing the door and sitting down.

Gibbs sat down opposite her.

The silence stretched becoming heavy and uncomfortable, "what do you want from me?" he asked softly

Abby stayed silent.

Gibbs stood up and Abby snapped, her patience finally exhausted, yelling at him; "walking away from a difficult situation again Gibbs, never had you down as a quitter"

Gibbs, also at the tail end of his patience yelled back "the only place I'm going, is to get this" he reached down and lifted a bottle of bourbon.

He sat back down, this time beside Abby, he took a long swallow from the bottle and passed it to Abby who took a mouthful and passed it back. Their fingers touched and their eyes locked.

Abby felt her face flush, she stood up quickly and crossed the room standing with her back to Gibbs, willing her blood pressure to return to normal.

Gibbs stayed where he was, his gut telling him that if he screwed it up this time, there would be no other chance.

"I think you should go" Abby's voice was barely above a whisper.

"nope, can't do that" he got up and stood behind her "Abs, I'm not going anywhere till I know that you're ok, that _we're_ ok"

He reached out and put his hands gently on her shoulders, when she didn't twist away he leaned forward, let his lips brush the back of her neck "this the kind of something you were looking for" he murmured into her ear.

The almost imperceptible nod was all the encouragement he needed, he turned her round and pulled her into his arms.

Abby leaned into him then suddenly tensed and pushed him away.

Gibbs couldn't read the expression on her face "Abs? What? I thought this was what you wanted" he was confused and did nothing to keep the panic from his voice.

"that's just it! I do, but you don't, you're only doing this because it's what I want and you think it'll fix everything"

Abby was talking so fast her words ran into each other and Gibbs struggled to follow what she was saying.

"just go Gibbs, I'm going to bed" she fled from the room, unable to hold back the tears any longer.

Gibbs sat down and lifted the bottle of bourbon. He toyed with the idea of leaving and dismissed it immediately. He toyed with the idea of following her into her bedroom and dismissed that too. Kicking off his shoes he settled down for a long sleepless night.


	8. Chapter 8

CHAPTER 8

Abby lay awake, she couldn't get comfortable, she let silent tears fall, making no effort to wipe them away.

She desperately wanted to call Gibbs, he looked so hurt when she pushed him away, she lifted her cell numerous times and even got as far as bringing his number up on screen but time and time again she hit cancel rather than dial. She knew he didn't want her, not the way she wanted him to want her, it was better just to forget everything and try to go back to the way things were before.

Gibbs paced about the dark apartment silently, numerous times he stopped at Abby's bedroom door and even got as far as putting his hand on the door knob but time and time again he stepped back rather than going in. He knew he wanted her, and he knew now that she wanted him, he couldn't forget everything and go back to how things had been before.

Hours later Abby admitted sleep was never going to come and got out of bed. She stopped in her tracks when she saw Gibbs still sitting on the sofa.

"You're still here"

"Looks that way"

"Why?"

"I told you, I'm staying till we're ok"

"What does that mean?"

"Whatever you want it to mean"

"That's not an answer!"

"I know"

"What do you want Gibbs"

"I don't want to hurt you or take advantage of you"

"That's not what I asked"

"I know"

Abby gave an exasperated growl, and started pacing, thinking furiously, suddenly she stopped and face him across the room

"Just answer yes or no, even you can manage that"

Gibbs looked at her

"If I kissed you, would you kiss me back?"

"Yes"

"Do you want me to kiss you?"

Gibbs closed his eyes for a long moment, a big neon sign saying 'Rule 12' flashed behind his eyelids. Without opening his eyes he said "yes"

Abby crossed the room and sat beside him, close but not touching

"Are you sure?"

He opened his eyes and gave her the famous Gibbs glare.

Abby giggled and before she could move, Gibbs was on her, pushing her backwards on the sofa, their lips met and weeks of anger and frustration melted away.

THE END

**A/N this isn't the story that I started out to write but it took on a life of it's own and I just went with it. **

**Don't worry the original idea has morphed into something else and will be published soon. **


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